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3 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Family/ Raising boys

Hiking with Kids – Pulpit Rock!

Last week I happened to get a couple of hours with just my three big boys (ages 5, 8 and 10), so I decided we should go on an adventure!  I’ve been wanting to conquer Pulpit Rock since the first time I drove past it in June 2015 and now had the perfect opportunity to check this item off my bucket list.

I looked at my Google Map and drove around until I found the closest spot to park near Pulpit Rock – inside a beautiful neighborhood I had never seen before. We parked near a trailhead and started our hike. Just 20 minutes later – we were on top Pulpit Rock – with incredible views!

View of Pikes peak from Pulpit Rock

The boys did great … they loved the “climbing” part of this adventure more than the hiking.  I loved every bit of it.

Only Paul, my 5-year-old, complained at the very end. “My legs are SOOO tired…I can’t walk ANY MORE!”  I showed him how close we were to our car and he made it back (with energy to spare)!

As always, the great thing about hiking in Colorado is that it is so beautiful and so natural … but they are also dangerous. We talk a lot about safety on our adventures.

Paul at Pulpit Rock

George and Paul at Pulpit Rock

Clark at Pulpit Rock

I would recommend it for ages 5 and up. It would also make a fun and inexpensive day date (or SUNSET date). Pack a lunch or dinner and take time to enjoy the spectacular views!

Where do you like hiking? Leave me a comment!

Click here for more FREE things to do in Colorado Springs! 

October 11, 2017 By
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15 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Things to do in Colorado/ Traveling

10 things you MUST DO in Colorado Springs!

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There are so many incredible free things to do in Colorado Springs, CO (click here to see that list)!  However, there are a few things that are absolutely worth spending a little money to see in do when you visit this incredible city.

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Here are ten experiences you won’t want to miss:

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1. Ride the Cog Railroad or Drive to the top of Pikes Peak

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This will be one of the most specular rides/drives you will ever take. Plan for about 1.5 hours up to the top of this mountain.  Be sure to get a picture at the Summit and try a DONUT!   If you aren’t up for driving, the COG railroad is a fun way to get to the top. It’s a bit pricier but a memorable experience!

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I wrote a children’s book about Pikes Peak and the Cog Railroad. Get your copy by clicking here.

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2. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

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This is a beautiful zoo right on the side of the mountain. Get right up close to the animals and enjoy gorgeous views! Your family will love a day spent here. My favorite part was feeding the giraffes.

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3. Space Foundation Discovery Center

This is a space museum for families. Everyone will learn something and enjoy the hands on exhibits. It’s a great way to get your kids out of the house on a cold or rainy day.

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4. Olympic Training Center

What I love about this place is that you get to watch real Olympians in training! We took our kids at ages 2, 4, 6 and 8, and they enjoyed it, but I would probably recommend that it’s best for ages 5 and up.

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5. North Pole

A great little Christmas-themed amusement park for kids, right on the side of the mountain. Best for families with children under 10 years old.

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6. Cave of the winds

Wind your way through Colorado caverns. Explore the wonders of the underground or sail through the sky on the Terror-dactyl ride. There’s something for everyone here.

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7. Penny Arcade

The Penny Arcade

(The Penny Arcade is in Manitou Springs – next to Colorado Springs – but worth mentioning!) Come to this historic arcade and play lots of different games – some old, some new. There are even a few antique games that you can play for a penny, but most games are 25¢. All ages will enjoy this place. I appreciate the history, my kids (and husband) enjoy the games.

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8. Glen Eyrie Castle

This hidden gem is a MUST SEE! It’s one of my favorite spots in our city. It’s the home built by the founder of our city. Schedule a tour of the inside, stay the night, enjoy High Tea, or simply explore the incredible grounds.

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9. Seven Falls

With my husband, sister & brother in law at Seven Falls

This area is called the “GRANDEST MILE OF SCENERY” in Colorado and I think that describes it pretty well!  I’d recommend going with a friend or on a date. You’ll get a good workout as you climb 224 steps. The stairs lead to a beautiful place hike. Click here to read more about my visit, see the pictures, prices, and get all the deets.

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10. Stay the night at the Broadmoor

The Broadmoor

My husband took me here for my birthday, and it was AMAZING. I hope that each one of you can stay the night here at some point in your life because it is truly fantastic.  Go in the summer so that you can take advantage of the amazing outdoor pool! When you visit, don’t miss the “wall of fame” – a hallway with pictures of all the celebrities that have stayed here!

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Those are, in my opinion, the top ten best places to see in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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This map was made with Wanderlog, a road trip planner app on iOS and Android

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Would you like a souvenir of your visit?! Click here to buy!

Thanks for your support!

Here’s a list of 20 FREE things to do in Colorado Springs!

And click here for some ideas of what to do in Manitou Springs!

For the best places to EAT in Colorado Springs, click here!

Here is a link to some COUPONS to use for some of the attractions I just mentioned – http://www.pikes-peak.com/coupons/

 

September 23, 2017 By
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20 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Raising boys/ Things to do in Colorado/ Traveling

20 FREE, fun and family-friendly places to visit in Colorado Springs

One of the reasons why we moved here and why I love my city is so much is because of the endless things to do with our family!

Here are 20 of the FREE things to do in Colorado Springs:

Outdoor activities:

This is a national landmark for a good reason. It should be on every person’s bucket list and I love that it’s right here in town. Every time we visit we see new things. The main parking lot has a bathroom, and the hike from there is stroller friendly! Start there, but I hope you’ll take time to visit every part of this park! Balanced Rock and Siamese twins are two of our favorite spots.

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A huge playground for kids with a gorgeous view. A large grassy area and a unique water sculpture for kids to play in during the summer.

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You’ll see this phenomenal rock structure as you drive down the highway. Click here to see pictures and read all the details about our adventure to the top of this rock.

Paul at Pulpit Rock

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This a gorgeous place to hike with trails that are easy or difficult, short or long – you choose!  We love this place! My mom said it’s better than Garden of the Gods because it’s more “natural.”

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You can enjoy a little museum and pretty view from the base of the falls or take a short and beautiful walk to the top of the falls.

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If you drive past Helen Hunt falls and park at the top of the hill, there is a gorgeous hike to take with your family. My little ones only made it to the first of the ‘seven bridges’, but we loved the hike and enjoyed playing in the creek at the first bridge.

Crazy for Colorado

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Drive to the top for an amazing view! Take a hike around the area, then drive to the bottom and play at the huge playground on Maizeland Road.

The view at Palmer Park

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This is a fantastic, brand new park! It has a splash pad, sandy area, playground, picnic area, places to play basketball, soccer, and tennis; there are biking and hiking trails…it’s incredible!

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A beautiful park where you can explore and play!

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Indoor activities:

Luke at the Pioneer Museum

This is a gorgeous building right down town. It’s a free museum that is full of interesting facts and displays that teach about the history of Colorado Springs. My boys enjoy playing in the children’s play area, going to story hour, and riding the old elevator. (This is also a good place to go WITHOUT kids so that you can read and enjoy each exhibit a little more thoroughly.)

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This is a museum you will go through pretty fast, but if you are in the Broadmoor area, or have an interest in cars, this is a neat museum worth checking out! My boys still talk about it. It shows old race cars, including one that CRASHED with the video showing how it happened.

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Focus on the family has an incredible indoor play area with a giant four-story slide. There’s also an ice cream/snack shop and a bookstore so you may want to bring a few dollars with you, but it’s not necessary. You can play for FREE. Focus on the Family is such an amazing ministry, and it’s a fun place to visit if you are in town.

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We are blessed with an INCREDIBLE network of libraries in Colorado Springs! Besides being able to check out movies and books – You can attend dance classes, story time, or just play on the computers and with their toys! They have free classes for all ages!

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Take a tour of their facility and see what they do around the world! It’s interesting and fun for all ages.

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You can hike, visit the beautiful chapel, the visitor center, one of the playgrounds, or go to a game! This place is HUGE and worth visiting! Go to usafa.edu/visitors to see everything you can do here!

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A great view of Garden of the Gods park, interesting things to see inside, and history to learn.

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Activities that have Indoor and Outdoor Space:

A pretty place to hike outdoors and explore the exhibits indoors!

My youngest son, Luke, at the Bear Creek Nature Center

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This stone building was originally the home of the Starsmore family.  It serves as an introduction to Cheyenne Cañon and its beautiful waterfalls, rock formations, and trails. In the nature center you can get a map of the area, bird watch, and play with the hands-on exhibits.

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An aviation museum with lots of history to learn and planes to see. (Need to register 24 hours in advance to get on base)

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If you’d like to purchase Climb, Soar, Swim, Explore, click here, submit $10 and I will ship out your SIGNED copy! 

Click here for the best hikes to take in Colorado Springs!
Click here for 10 Bucket list items to do in Colorado Springs 

Click here for the best places to EAT in Colorado Springs

Click here for the best things to do in Manitou Springs

Ice cream at historic Patsy’s in Manitou Springs

Click here for FREE things to do in Breckenridge, CO


For 50+ activities to do with your kids, click here! 

Don’t forget to subscribe (on the right) so you don’t miss any posts! They’ll come right to your inbox.

September 12, 2017 By
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7 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Finding our place/ House Hunting/ Moving

Becoming Colorado home owners!

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. – Melody Beattie

In 2015, Ted received a job offer for a position at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). This was a company he had followed for over a decade, reading and using the material they produce on leadership. What an honor to now get to be a part of their team!

We decided to first “rent” a home until we knew which part of town we wanted to live in. After living in Colorado Springs for about 6 months, we were getting familiar with this great city, and knew which area of town where we wanted to buy a home. After looking at several houses, we found the one that we knew was our ‘home.’ From the first time we walked inside, we could feel the love and comfort in this home, and could imagine ourselves living there.  We would soon find out that the family selling the home had moved here from Naperville, Illinois (not far from where we previously lived) and attended the same church as us!

We put an offer on the house and included a letter about our family – why we wanted their home and what we loved about it. The house had only been on the market 6 days and we knew others were interested, but thankfully, we got the house! They let us know that the letter was what made them want to sell their home to us.

We set a closing date for the end of April, but the lease for our rental home was through September. I called the Rental Agency about breaking our lease. They quoted all the fees involved for doing that, and my heart sank for a minute. Then I remembered a conversation I had with someone who knew the owners of this rental home. I remembered her telling me that the owners were planning to moving back soon after living overseas for five years. I wondered (to myself) where the owners would live since our family was renting their house.

I asked our rental agency if they would contact the owners of our rental home to see if they might want their house back.

Amazingly, the owners said, “YES!”

We did not have to break the lease or pay any fees for moving out early!!!!

Wow!

We are now Colorado homeowners and absolutely love it! We are grateful to get to live in such an amazing place. I share more specifically about what we love to do here in this post.

I hope you’ve enjoyed following us in this journey as much as I’ve enjoyed telling you! It’s been fun to look back and see how God has gone before us, opening doors at every step. We took a leap of faith and flew. I hope it’s inspired you!

CLICK HERE to read 10 things I didn’t know about Colorado until I lived here! 

Click here to read a post I wrote about 10 things you MUST do in Colorado Springs! 

September 10, 2017 By
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1 In Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Finding our place/ Friendship/ Uncategorized

Finding old friends in our new place!

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born. – Anais Nin

When we moved to Colorado Springs, there was only one family we knew. They were our neighbors and the only who had helped us find our home. After 13 years in Chicago, we had developed a strong community of friends, and it was hard leaving that behind.

Soon after arriving in town, old friends of my husband (Ted) recommended we visit New Life Church because he thought there’d be some people at New Life that Ted might know. We went to a Friday night service and discovered that the Friday night pastor went to high school with Ted! Ted knew nearly a dozen people that were a part of New Life Church! How incredible to be in a brand new place and have some really special friends from the past! These are people that knew him well and immediately welcomed us into the church and their homes. From our very first visit, we knew that New Life is where we belong.

 

 

If you are in Colorado Springs and don’t have a church home, visit New Life Church. The pastors are incredible teachers, the music is absolutely amazing, and we love the children’s ministry! And best of all, it’s a church filled with some really incredible people.

In my next post, I’ll finish our “Pikes Peak or Bust” saga by telling you a great story about how we found our permanent home in Colorado.

Also, tomorrow is the last day to enter to win my giveaway. I’ll be choosing a winner tonight! Go here to enter!

September 9, 2017 By
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30 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Finding our place/ Friendship/ Moving

8 ways to LOVE where you LIVE

We moved into our nice home in Colorado Springs, into our family-friendly neighborhood, in this amazing state, and within 3 days I started feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and questioning everything. I’m usually an extremely happy person, but suddenly I was so very sad. We made it to Pikes Peak, but was it really just a BUST?

I didn’t know where to grocery shop for the five hungry males in our home, the post office wasn’t delivering our mail, I had just said good-bye to every single one of my friends and family members (I was lonely!), my house was unfamiliar and filled with BOXES and MESSES everywhere.

What have we done? Why are we here?

My son Clark (only five years old at the time) noticed that I was sad and said, “Mama, just look at the mountains!”

He was right! I needed to re-focus on why we had moved here!

We got outside, did some exploring, and my heart and soul filled with gratefulness that we GET to live here!

If you have recently moved or are planning to move, here are 8 things to help you love where you live:

  1. Get outside

You may not live at the base of Pikes Peak, but every town in every state has something outside to enjoy. Whether it’s a sunset or park – get outside and let God’s beauty fill your soul!

2. SMILE! To make friends, be friendly!

If you know me, you know I talk to EVERYONE. I recommend you do the same. Don’t talk about yourself, ask questions!

  • “How long have you lived here?”
  • “Where are you from?”
  • “Do you have children?” “What are their ages?”
  • “What do you like about this area?”
  • “What do you do for fun?

Remember, every stranger can one day be a friend.  I met my first and closest friend by just walking up and chatting with a complete stranger while our kids were playing together on the playground.

3.  Call an old friend

When I was feeling lonely, I reached out to old friends for encouragement. They cheered me up and spurred me on!

4.  Get to know your neighbors

We knew one of our neighbors. They had us over for dinner and made us begin to feel welcome in this state. (Thank you Barrett family) I asked them LOTS of questions, and they were so helpful and patiently answered each one.

If you don’t know anyone in your neighborhood, spend time OUTSIDE. Take walks and say hello to each person you see. Being friendly helps you have FRIENDS!

When you chat with neighbors, they would HAPPILY answer simple questions like:

  • “What day does the trash go out?”
  • “What paper should we subscribe to?”
  • “Where do you recommend I buy groceries?”
  • “Where’s the library and post office?”
  • “What restaurants should we try?”
  • “Where’s the best thrift store?”

5. Reach out to any friends/family in your new state

We have cousins who live about an hour away. One offered to stay with me while Ted was gone on one of his Chicago trips. (Thank you Sarah!) I also re-connected with childhood/college friends who live in Colorado. It’s so fun spending time with old friends in a new state!

6. Volunteer

I started volunteering at our children’s school and at our local church. This is a great way to meet your kid’s new friends, see what they are learning, and MEET new people!!!

7.  Join a group

Whether it’s on meetup.com, a book club through your library, or a Bible study through your church…a small group will make it easier to build friendships.

8. Read good books – Two books I enjoyed and found really helpful are:

“This is where you belong” has TONS of great stories, facts, and information about making a new place feel like home. I checked it out from the library but loved it so much I had to BUY my own copy. I recommend it to everyone who has moved recently.

After the Boxes are unpacked is filled with encouragement and practical advice for feeling at home in your new place. Visit JustMoved.org for more info!

I really enjoyed both of these and believe you will too. 

Thanks for reading!

Click here for 20 fun, free, family-friendly things to do in Colorado Springs!

Click here for my Minnesota Bucket List! 

You can also read how we became Colorado Home Owners here!

If you know someone who would benefit from this article, please share it!

September 6, 2017 By
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9 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Family/ Finding our place/ Friendship/ Moving

Finding our new home and saying good-bye to our old home

“Always in the big woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread.  It is the ancient fear of the unknown, and it is your first bond with the wilderness you are going to.” – Wendell Berry

Our moving date was one week away, and we had NO idea where we were going to live. (Click here to read about it!)

The ONE family we knew in town mentioned that their neighbor had just moved out. She called to see if the home was available for rent. Thankfully, miraculously, the person who had been renting that home had moved out two weeks early, providing an opening for us to move into the home in SIX days!

“Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building                                                                    your wings on the way down.” – Ray Bradbury

Ted had to fly back to Chicago, so our sweet friend offered to meet the agent at the potential rental home in Colorado Springs to give us an iChat walking tour. The house was PERFECT! It was a four bedroom house on a cul-de-sac, in a great neighborhood, with a gorgeous view of Pike’s Peak – and within our budget! We immediately signed a 12-month lease, waited for approval and FIVE days before we were scheduled to move, we had a home!!

Thank you Lord! I can breathe again!

Saying the actual “good-byes” to our Illinois friends, and my Indiana family, was harder than I expected it to be. These are the people who loved us, encouraged us, worked with us, supported us through the births of each of our four sons! They had watched our boys grow and had loved them so well. My Indiana family had only been 3 hours away for the last 13 years. I could pop over any weekend and for any event. Now everything was changing. Our DREAM was being realized, but we were leaving a part of ourselves behind. And that was hard. (Honestly, it’s still hard. There are so many good people that we miss in Illinois, and I still miss not being able to drive over to see my family in Indiana whenever I want.)

   (Saying good bye to family⇑ and friends ⇓)

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

In September 2015 –  we left Illinois, the place that we had called “home” for the last 13 years, to make a new start in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

When we arrived, something happened that shocked me. I’ll tell you about it my next post. (Subscribe→ so you won’t miss it)

September 5, 2017 By
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0 In Colorado/ Colorado Springs/ Faith/ Finding our place/ House Hunting/ Moving/ Traveling

Taking a Leap of Faith

Come to the edge, He said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, He said.

They came. He pushed them,

And they flew…

GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE

We decided to put our house on the market, and it sold in three weeks (Click here to read about that).

NOW WHAT?

Well, the week we put our house on the market, a friend reached out to my husband to tell him that a company in Colorado Springs was hiring and that Ted would be a perfect fit. My husband immediately applied for this position.

We wanted to get to Colorado as soon as possible, but it would be several months before my husband knew if he got the job in Colorado Springs. How could we move there without any definite work or way to provide for our family. We discussed staying in Illinois and renting until we had things lined up perfectly.

Instead, we stepped out in faith. We believed that Colorado should be our new home and we were just going to take that LEAP. We would move forward and trust God to open the doors and go before us.

This “leap of faith” stuff is frightening. Imagine closing your eyes and jumping off into an abyss. How does that make you feel? That’s how I was feeling at that moment.

Where would we live?

How would we provide for our family?

How long until we found a job?

“I’ve spent my whole life trying to get less comfortable.  I don’t think God wants us to be comfortable.  I think God wants you and I to live right on the edge of YIKES.” – Bob Goff

Ted told his current employer about our decision to move. Instead of giving him the ‘two weeks notice,’ they let him keep his job!  They were able to work out an arrangement for him to work remote and travel back and forth from Colorado to Chicago on a monthly basis!

Then we had to decide where in Colorado we wanted to plant our roots.

Colorado Springs was the one spot that, even before ever visiting, seemed to be “calling my name. “ I thought that if Dr. Dobson, Focus on the Family and Compassion International could call this place home, then perhaps, so could we!  Plus, Colorado Springs is so beautiful with Pike’s Peak as its backdrop. It’s a city with so much to offer young families, plenty to do if you are seeking adventure, and a reasonable cost of living. After talking it through, that’s where we decided to go.

Once we had chosen our city, we had to find a place to live. Our closing date was soon approaching, and our moving company wanted to know where they were taking our stuff. I wanted to know where they’d be taking our stuff, too!

I had no idea how HARD it would be to find a home to rent in Colorado Springs. As soon as a good one would pop up online, I’d call, and then find out that it had already been rented! It was challenging, but I was at peace knowing that God was going before us. I knew there was a home for us in Colorado Springs.

With only one week before our closing date and move, Ted flew out to Colorado Springs for an in-person interview. He was also planning to nail down a place for us to live. I had been talking to a realtor, and she lined up three houses for him to tour. Unfortunately, he didn’t think any of them were right for us. When he called me that evening to tell me we still didn’t have a home, I took a deep breath and prayed: “God, I know you have a place for us. Please help us find it…soon. ”

Click here to find out how God answered our prayer! And please subscribe (in the column on the right) so you don’t have to miss an update.

September 4, 2017 By
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